Tape and apron dispensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A tape and apron dispensing apparatus in which the apron roll and tape roll are mounted for rotation about spaced, relatively parallel axes at one side of an elongated body member and the portion of the body member intermediate the tape and apron rolls is shaped to provide a handgrip paralleling the path of withdrawal of the taped apron and adapted to be grasped in one hand to enable hand manipulation of the tape and apron dispensing apparatus when applying the taped apron to a surface to be masked.

11:1 ited States Patent 1 1 Wahlquist TAPE AND APRON DISPENSINGAPPARATUS [76] Inventor: Stanley L. Wahlquist, 3203 S. Main St.,Rockford, 111. 61102 22 Filed: Aug. 14, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 280,562

[52] US. Cl 156/554, 156/577, 156/579 [51] Int. Cl B321) 31/08 [58]Field of Search 156/577, 579, 554

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,963,666 6/1934 McCarthy eta1 156/554 2,522,773 9/1950 Bihary 156/554 3,120,461 2/1964 Harbour156/554 3,152,032 10/1964 Waltz 156/554 Jan. 22, 1974 3,463,694 8/1969De Roshia 156/577 Primary Examiner-Douglas J. Drummond Attorney, Agent,or Firm-Morsbach, Pillote & Muir [5 7] ABSTRACT A tape and aprondispensing apparatus in which the apron roll and tape roll are mountedfor rotation about spaced, relatively parallel axes at one side of anelongated body member and the portion of the body member intermediatethe tape and apron rolls is shaped to provide a handgrip paralleling thepath of withdrawal of the taped apron and adapted to be grasped in onehand to enable hand manipulation of the tape and apron dispensingapparatus when applying the taped apron to a surface to be masked.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 TAPE AND APRON DISPENSING APPARATUSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION of taped apron must be withdrawn and severedfrom the rolls on the apron taping apparatus before the severed stripcan be applied to the surface to be masked. Portable tape and aprondispensing apparatus have been proposed. However, a portable tape' andapron dispensing apparatus must not only be capable of applying tape tothe apron and dispensing the taped apron, but it must also be readilyand easily manipulated to position and guide the taped apron during themasking operation. The prior tape and apron dispensing apparatus and thehandle arrangements for manipulating the apparatus during a maskingoperation have not been entirely satisfactory for this purpose. One suchportable apparatus utilized a pair of spacedhandles on the tape andapron dispensing apparatus in an arrangement which required both handsto support and manipulate the apparatus during a masking operation.Another protable tape and apron dispensing apparatus utilizes a handlearrangement which extends crosswise of the direction of movement of theapparatus during a masking operation so that positioning andmanipulation of the apparatus during a masking operation would beawkward.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portabletape and apron dispensing apparatus having an improved arrangement formounting the tape and apron rolls and for providing a handle formanipulating the apparatus during application of the taped apron to thesurface to be masked. The tape and apron dispensing apparatus includes abody member in the form'of an elongated relatively thin panel having ashaft attached to a forward portion thereof and extending laterally fromone side face of the panel in cantilever fashion for rotatablysupporting a roll of apron material, and a tape roll support adjacentthe rear end of the panel for supporting a roll of pressure sensitivetape for rotation about an axis normal to the side face of the panel.The body has an intermediate portion between the tape roll and the apronroll of a length to receive a hand therebetween and shaped to provide ahandgrip which is adapted to be grasped in one hand with the thumbportion of the hand overlying the upper edge and the fingers of the handgrasping the lower edge of the panel. With this arrangement, thehandgrip portion for the apparatus is located intermediate the tape andapron rolls and generally parallels the direction of withdrawal of thetaped apron from the apparatus to facilitate manipulation of theapparatus during application of the taped apron to the surface to bemasked. The wide thin handgrip portion enables the apparatus to becomfortably held while yet counteracting the overhanging weight of thecantilever supported apron roll. The apron roll is laterally guided by aguide face on the body member shaped to engage the end of the apron rollbelow the path of movement of the tape as it passes from the tape rollover the apron roll and a pressure applying disk is yieldably biasedinto engagement with the outer end of the apron roll to not onlymaintain the same in engagement with a guide face on the body but toalso axially confine the apron roll to inhibit loosening of the apronmaterial on the apron roll.

An important object of this invention is to provide a tape and aprondispensing apparatus which can be readily manipulated by one hand toaccurately position and guide the apparatus during application of thetaped apron to the surface to be masked.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tape and aprondispensing apparatus which is of simple and economical construction.

These, together with other objects and advantages of this invention willbe more readily understood by reference to the following detaileddescription, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein: I 1

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the apparatus in use inapplying a taped apron to a surface to be masked;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the portable tape and aprondispensing apparatus; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the portable tape and apron dispensingapparatus with parts broken away and shown in section to illustratedetails of construction.

The tape and apron dispensing apparatus of the present invention isarranged to apply a pressure sensitive tape from a roll 10 of pressuresensitive tape to an edge portion of a roll 11 of apron material to forma taped apron A with the strip of pressure sensitive tape A adhered toand extending beyond the edge of the apron for attachment to the surfaceto be masked. The pressure sensitive tape 10 is of the type commonlyused for masking and, as shown, the tape is wound on a tubular core 10b.The roll 11 of apron material is preferably similarly wound on a tubularcore 11b.

The tape and apron dispensing apparatus is constructed and arranged sothat it can be manipulated with one hand to dispense and guide the tapedapron while the taped apron is being applied to the surface to bemasked. The tape and apron dispensing apparatus includes an elongatedbody member 15 in the form of a generally flat panel having opposedrelatively wide inner and outer sides 16 and 17 and upper and loweredges 18 and 19. The body member may, for example, be formed of alightweight material such as wood, preferably plywood, fiberboard or thelike, having a thickness of the order of about 5/16 inch or may,alternatively, be molded of plastic in the general configurationillustrated. If it is desired to reduce the overall weight of the body,particularly if the body member is molded of a relatively heavy materialsuch as plastic, the body member can be formed with recesses or evenopenings inwardly of the margins of the body member to pro duce thedesired shape while yet reducing the amount of material in the bodymember. For example, one face such as the outer face of the body membercan be formed with recesses or cavities in areas inwardly of the upperand lower edges to reduce the amount of plastic material required andhence the weight of the tool and the expense of producing the same. Asused herein, the term generally flat panel is intended to refer not onlyto the solid flat construction illustrated in the drawings,

but also to a panel having weight reducing recesses or openings inwardlyof its margin as described above.

The rol of pressure sensitive tape is supported adjacent the rear end ofthe body member for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the innerface 10 and, as best shown in FIG. 3,the body member has a circular boss21 on its inner face 16 which extends into the tubular core 10b of theroll of pressure sensitive tape to rotatably support the same. The rollof pressure sensitive tape is axially retained in position on the bodymember by a disk 22 that engages the outer end of the tape roll. Thedisk is mounted on the body member by a stub shaft 23 and a releasablefastener such as a cotter pin 24 to maintain one end face of the roll oftape in close adjacency to the side face 16 of the body member.

The roll of apron material 11 is rotatably supported on a shaft 26 whichis attached to the body member 15 adjacent its forward end and whichextends from the inner side face 16 in cantilever fashion. The shaft 26can be formed of a solid rod of a lightweight material such as wood or atubular rod of a relatively heavier material such as plastic or metal,and one end of the shaft is rigidly anchored in the body member as byextending into an opening 150. An apron guide face 27 is formed on thebody member to engage the inner end of the apron roll and to space thesame laterally from the inner face 16 of the body member a distance lessthan the width of the tape and preferably about half the tape width. Forreasons pointed out hereinafter, the apron guide face is arranged toextend to the outer periphery of the apron roll, but the upper edge 27aof the apron guide face is offset below the upper edge 18 of the bodymember to lie below the tape strip as it passes from the tape roll overthe apron roll and from the apron roll to the point of application ofthe apron strip to the surface to be masked. In order to inhibitloosening of the apron material on the roll 11, a pressure applying disk31 is provided at the outer end of the apron roll with an outer diameterat least as large as the apron roll, and the disk is yieldably pressedagainst the end of the apron roll as by a spring means 32. In the formshown, the spring comprisesa resilient sponge which is pressed againstdisk 31 by an outer disk 33 retained on the shaft as by a fastener suchas a cotter pin 34. Other arrangements for applying a light, yieldablepressure against the end of the apron roll to axially confine the apronroll and inhibit unloosening of the apron material can be utilized, ifdesired.

A tape guide 36 is mounted on the inner face of the body member toengage the tape strip as it passes from the tape roll over the apronroll to maintain at least a partial wrap of the tape strip around theapron roll during dispensing of the taped apron. The tape guide 36 canbe a small diameter rod or a roller located at a level substantiallybelow a line tangent to the tops of the apron and tape rolls and, asshown, is disposed along a line adjacent the plane through the axes ofthe tape and apron rolls.

The mounts for the tape and apron rolls on the body member are arrangedso that the peripheries of the tape and apron rolls are spaced apart adistance sufficient to receive a hand therebetween, and the portion ofthe body member intermediate the tape and apron rolls is shaped toprovide a handgrip for one hand support and manipulation of the tape andapron dispensing apparatus. The intermediate portion of the body memberprovides a handgrip which extends lengthwise of the body member andhence generally parallel to the direction in which the taped apron'iswithdrawn from the apparatus, so that the apparatus can be comfortablysupported and manipulated by one hand, with the thumb portion of thehand overlying the upper edge and the fingers of the hand grasping thelower edge, as shown in FIG. 1. Fingerreceiving notches 19a arepreferably provided in the lower edge 19 of the body member tofacilitate holding of the body member. The intermediate handgrip portionof the body member is made relatively wide and such that the upper andlower edges 18 and 19 of the intermediate handgrip portion of the bodymember are spaced respectively above and below the path of travel of thetape portion 10a as it passes from the tape roll 10 over the apron rollso as to avoid interference between the tape and a hand on the handgripportion.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation ofthetool will be readily understood. The tape roll is rotatably supportedadjacent the rear end of the body member with one end at the plane ofthe inner face 16 and the apron roll is rotatably supported at theforward end of the body member with one end offset from the inner face16 a distance less than the width of the tape so that the tape, as itpasses from the tape roll over the apron roll, partially overlaps theedge of the apron roll to form a taped apron. The guide 36 guides thetape as it passes from the tape roll over the apron roll to assure apartial wrap of the tape around the apron roll and proper adherence ofthe tape to the apron. The roll of apron material is axially confinedbetween the apron guide face 27 on the body member and the disk 31 tonot only maintain the apron roll in proper position against the guideface, but to also inhibit loosening of the apron material on the apronroll when the apparatus is not in use.

The handgrip for manipulating the tape and apron dispensing apparatus isformed by the intermediate portion of the body member and extendslongitudinally of the body member parallel to the direction ofwithdrawal of the taped apron so that the apparatus can be comfortablyheld in one hand, and the handgrip portion is made relatively deep toprevent interference between the tape and the users hand and to alsoprovide leverage to counteract the weight of the cantilever supportedapron roll. As shown in FIG. 1, the taped apron can be affixed to thesurface as it is withdrawn from the apparatus and the apparatus can beaccurately positioned and guided along the line to be masked while theoperators other hand is free to press the taped apron against thesurface.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus for applying astrip of pressure sensitive tape to an edge of an apron strip and fordispensing the tapeapron during application of the tape-apron to asurface to be masked comprising, an elongated body member having wideinner and outer sides and relatively narrow upper and lower edges, taperoll support means on said body member adjacent one end for supporting aroll of pressure sensitive tape for rotation about an axis perpendicularto said inner side and with one end of the tape roll in a first planeadjacent said inner side of the body member, means extending laterallyin cantilever fashion from said inner side of the body member adjacentthe other end thereof for supporting a roll 'of apron material forrotation about a second axis parallel to the axis of the tape roll andwith the periphery of the apron roll spaced a substantial distance fromthe periphery of the tape roll, apron roll guide means engaging one endof said apron roll for guidably maintaining the same offset from saidfirst plane a distance less than the width of the tape roll whereby alongitudinal portion of the tape strip from the tape roll will overlapand adhere to an edge portion of the. apron strip on the apron roll whenan end of thetape is withdrawn from its roll and passed over the apronroll, said elongated body member having-the portion thereof intermediatethe tape roll and the apron roll shaped to form a handgrip extendinglengthwise of the body member and adapted to be grasped in one hand withthe'thumb portion of the hand overlying the upper edge and the fingersof the hand engaging the lower edge of the body member to enable onehand positioning and movement of the apparatus during application of thetaped apron to a surface being masked.

2. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim1 including tape guide means extending laterally from said inner face ofthe body member intermediate said tape roll and said apron roll at alocation below the upper peripheries of said rolls, said upper and loweredges of said body member along said intermediate portion thereof beingrespectively spaced above and below the tape strip as it passes from thetape roll under the tape guide and over. the apron roll.

3. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim2 wherein said means for supporting said roll of apron material includesa shaft extending laterally from said inner side of the body member,said apron roll guide means comprising a guide face on the body memberoffset from said inner face and engageable with the end of said apronroll, said apron guide face being arranged to engage the end of theapron roll adjacent the lower portion thereof and having its upper edgedisposed below the tape strip as it passes from the tape guide over theapron roll.

4. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim3 including a second apron roll guide member on said shaft engaging theother end of the apron roll, and means yieldably urging said secondapron guide member into engagement with the other end of the apron rolland toward said guide face on the body member to axially confine theapron roll therebetween and inhibit loosening of the apron strip on theapron roll.

5. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim3 wherein said second apron of an elongated thin panel, having inner andouter side faces, said panel having a shaft attached to a forwardportion thereof and extending laterally from the inner side face of thepanel in cantilever fashion for rotatably supporting a roll ofapron'material, an apron roll guide face on said panel offset from saidinner side face a distance less than the width of the tape to be appliedand engageable with the end of an apron roll to space the same from theinner side face. of the panel means adjacent the rear end of the panelfor supporting a roll of pressure sensitive tape for rotation about anaxis normal to said inner side face of the panel and with the end of thetape roll adjacent said inner side face, a tape guide extendinglaterally from said inner side face of said body member at a locationintermediate said tape roll and said apron roll adapted to overlie thetape as it passes from the tape roll and over the apron roll, saidelongated panel having an intermediate portion thereof spanning thespace between said tape roll and said apron roll of a length to receivea hand therebetween, and the upper and lower edges of said intermediateportion of the body member being respectively spaced above and below thetape strip as it passes from tape roll under the-tape guide and over theapron roll to provide a handgrip portion adapted to be grasped in onehand with the thumb portion of the hand overlying the upper edge and thefingers of the hand grasping the lower edge to enable one handmanipulation of the apparatus during application of the tape apron.

7. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim6 wherein said apron roll guide face is arranged to engage the end ofthe apron roll adjacent the lower portion thereof and has its upper edge1 disposed below the tape strip as it passes from the tape guide overthe apron roll, said panel extending above the upper edge of said apronroll guide face to a level adjacent the outer periphery of the apronroll to laterally guide the tape as it passes around the apron roll.

8. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim6 including a disk slidable on the outer end of the shaft and engagingthe outer end of the apron roll, and means yieldably urging said diskagainst the end of the apron roll to axially confine the apron roll andinhibit loosening of the apron strip thereon.

1. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus for applying astrip of pressure sensitive tape to an edge of an apron strip and fordispensing the tape-apron during application of the tape-apron to asurface to be masked comprising, an elongated body member having wideinner and outer sides and relatively narrow upper and lower edges, taperoll support means on said body member adjacent one end for supporting aroll of pressure sensitive tape for rotation about an axis perpendicularto said inner side and with one end of the tape roll in a first planeadjacent said inner side of the body member, means extending laterallyin cantilever fashion from said inner side of the body member adjacentthe other end thereof for supporting a roll of apron material forrotation about a second axis parallel to the axis of the tape roll andwith the periphery of the apron roll spaced a substantial distance fromthe periphery of the tape roll, apron roll guide means engaging one endof said apron roll for guidably maintaining the same offset from saidfirst plane a distance less than the width of the tape roll whereby alongitudinal portion of the tape strip from the tape roll will overlapand adhere to an edge portion of the apron strip on the apron roll whenan end of the tape is withdrawn from its roll and passed over the apronroll, said elongated body member having the portion thereof intermediatethe tape roll and the apron roll shaped to form a handgrip extendinglengthwise of the body member and adapted to be grasped in one hand withthe thumb portion of the hand overlying the upper edge and the fingersof the hand engaging the lower edge of the body member to enable onehand positioning and movement of the apparatus during application of thetaped apron to a surface being masked.
 2. A hand manipulable tape-Aprondispensing apparatus according to claim 1 including tape guide meansextending laterally from said inner face of the body member intermediatesaid tape roll and said apron roll at a location below the upperperipheries of said rolls, said upper and lower edges of said bodymember along said intermediate portion thereof being respectively spacedabove and below the tape strip as it passes from the tape roll under thetape guide and over the apron roll.
 3. A hand manipulable tape-aprondispensing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means forsupporting said roll of apron material includes a shaft extendinglaterally from said inner side of the body member, said apron roll guidemeans comprising a guide face on the body member offset from said innerface and engageable with the end of said apron roll, said apron guideface being arranged to engage the end of the apron roll adjacent thelower portion thereof and having its upper edge disposed below the tapestrip as it passes from the tape guide over the apron roll.
 4. A handmanipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatus according to claim 3including a second apron roll guide member on said shaft engaging theother end of the apron roll, and means yieldably urging said secondapron guide member into engagement with the other end of the apron rolland toward said guide face on the body member to axially confine theapron roll therebetween and inhibit loosening of the apron strip on theapron roll.
 5. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatusaccording to claim 3 wherein said second apron guide member comprises adisk having an outer diameter to at least extend to the outer peripheryof the apron roll.
 6. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatusfor applying a strip of pressure sensitive tape to an edge of an apronstrip and for dispensing the tape-apron during application of thetape-apron to a surface to be masked comprising, a body member in theform of an elongated thin panel, having inner and outer side faces, saidpanel having a shaft attached to a forward portion thereof and extendinglaterally from the inner side face of the panel in cantilever fashionfor rotatably supporting a roll of apron material, an apron roll guideface on said panel offset from said inner side face a distance less thanthe width of the tape to be applied and engageable with the end of anapron roll to space the same from the inner side face of the panel meansadjacent the rear end of the panel for supporting a roll of pressuresensitive tape for rotation about an axis normal to said inner side faceof the panel and with the end of the tape roll adjacent said inner sideface, a tape guide extending laterally from said inner side face of saidbody member at a location intermediate said tape roll and said apronroll adapted to overlie the tape as it passes from the tape roll andover the apron roll, said elongated panel having an intermediate portionthereof spanning the space between said tape roll and said apron roll ofa length to receive a hand therebetween, and the upper and lower edgesof said intermediate portion of the body member being respectivelyspaced above and below the tape strip as it passes from tape roll underthe tape guide and over the apron roll to provide a handgrip portionadapted to be grasped in one hand with the thumb portion of the handoverlying the upper edge and the fingers of the hand grasping the loweredge to enable one hand manipulation of the apparatus during applicationof the tape apron.
 7. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensing apparatusaccording to claim 6 wherein said apron roll guide face is arranged toengage the end of the apron roll adjacent the lower portion thereof andhas its upper edge disposed below the tape strip as it passes from thetape guide over the apron roll, said panel extending above the upperedge of said apron roll guide face to a level adjacent the outerperiphery of the apron roll to laterally guide the tape as it passesaround the apron roll.
 8. A hand manipulable tape-apron dispensingapparatus according to claim 6 including a disk slidable on the outerend of the shaft and engaging the outer end of the apron roll, and meansyieldably urging said disk against the end of the apron roll to axiallyconfine the apron roll and inhibit loosening of the apron strip thereon.